Life — April 22, 1920 — page 6: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# Analysis This is primarily a **commercial advertisement** for Weed Tire Chains, occupying most of the page. The satirical cartoon at top illustrates the ad's central argument: a taxi with spinning rear wheels stuck in place while a man pushes, showing "plenty of power but no traction." The joke targets **taxi drivers and car owners who abuse their tires**, arguing they then wrongly blame worn wheels for slipping. The taxicab meter keeps running despite the wheels' useless spinning—a metaphor for wasted money and resources. The advertisement positions Weed Tire Chains as the solution: practical safety equipment that "lengthen[s] the life of tires" and "reduce operating expenses," especially for commercial vehicles. This reflects early-20th-century concerns about vehicle traction in poor weather, before modern tire technology.